General Reports

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2184938]The other morning it took about 5 minutes. It only took that long because they were having a shift change. I have never ever ever had to wait 2 hours. They must have been on strike that day. You can always walk with a limp and ask for the handicap line. I have a picture of when my foot got messed up on Koh Tao. So when push comes to shove I go to the handicap line and if someone asks why I am in that line, I show them the picture in my phone to make them cringe and stop asking so many damn questions.[/QUOTE]5 minutes? That doesn't sound right, at all. Anybody else a bit skeptical? I went through customs at BKK a while back, on what I was told was an ordinary day (the guy I cleared with had been through BKK at least a dozen times) and it took at least 30 minutes. Then again, a while back Mr. E was telling me about what I saw during my latest immigration experience at DFW Airport, and described the LE dogs present there, when I have never seen a LE dog at DFW airport in my 40 years of traveling through it.

I have been to Thailand about 40 times over the past 15 or so years, and while I never have been able to clear immigration in 5 minutes I can say from my experience if I can get through in 15 minutes or so I feel like I have done good. I have felt the pain of being in line well over an hours quite a few times. I do think the time of the day plays a large part of it as with the staffing levels at the immigration desks.

I have noticed that if I come in on a flight from say Singapore during the morning the lines do seem to be shorter. However if I am arriving on a flight that comes in later in the evening when several flights that contain a larger percentage of westerners the lines do take a lot longer to move. With all that said I would not discount what any BM says as his experience could be legit. Just because others haven't experienced doesn't make it not true. Just my two cents.

[QUOTE=RoamingRob1;2185298]I have been to Thailand about 40 times over the past 15 or so years, and while I never have been able to clear immigration in 5 minutes[/QUOTE]Agree in general. If you get an ASEAN Card or fly Biz Class it is possible to clear in 5 minutes. Added bonus with ASEAN card is you can get an entry for longer than 30 days.

[QUOTE=RoamingRob1;2185298]
I have noticed that if I come in on a flight from say Singapore during the morning the lines do seem to be shorter. [/QUOTE]My last 2 recent entries to Thailand one via suvabharumi and the other at dmk I notice they pull out anyone with a Singapore passport and they get express service.

[QUOTE=RobertLong;2185205]
Your going to drop a couple of hundred bucks a day in Bkk so why not get there by flying business at a little higher price?[/QUOTE]A little higher? Business class is usually about three times more expensive than economy. If I would fly business then I could only go to SE Asia once a year, instead of two or three times on average.

[QUOTE=Eszpresszo;2185273]5 minutes? That doesn't sound right, at all. Anybody else a bit skeptical?[/QUOTE]The only time it took 5 minutes for me (or in fact even less) was when I came back from the Phils around midnight one time and the immigration hall was almost empty. I was also in one of the front rows so I got off the plane quickly.

All other dozens of times it took anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes I think. No reason for me to spend 900 Baht on a express service. That's almost a ST.

On 8th April my flight landed at 4.30 pm. I get surprised we few are from other countries in the Que for immigration other than Chinese groups. Why the hall is full of Chinese!

On 14th April 2.00 pm got the Que in front of immigration on way to manila. It was same the hall was full of Chinese groups. Couple of times my Que immigration officer stand on his chair and warned to some Chinese ladies just to shut the mouth. Too much noise. Citizens from other countries are not much. And we passed the immigration like a breeze.

On 30th April 5.00 pm arrived Suvarnabhumi again from Manila. Just the repeat of other days. No crowd, less visitors than I seen before. Short Que and smooth passing the immigration.

On 8th may passed out BKK. Nothing to surprise we just breezed out the immigration and what the hell the hall was full of Chinese visitors.

The bottom line: What happened to Thailand! Does the visitors getting less these days?

I'd rather ask guys over here who are like-minded, rather than on one of those tourist TwerP boards. I got a hundred and fifty days to go before I leave for a six-month trip, just a few general questions for guys in the ground.

When I go for my visa extension, because I'm coming in on a s e TV do I do that as soon as I get to town, or do I wait until the end of my visit. Is immigration being okay to a guy with a brand new clean passport, no visit since 2015, self-supporting and clean cut with a hidden gutter crawl inside? Similarly, I assume the place to go for my next single entry would be Vientiane, or is it different Embassy the favorite. I'll leave for a couple of weeks at the end of my first 90 stay to go to Laos and Cambodia or even Burma if that's a good place to go.

As to the crackdown, Arecfolks carrying your actual passports in Bangkok itself, or just a photocopy okay. I also have a passport card. I'm not going to be in the red light district very often. I don't drink at all. So I don't get into any trouble.

Just out of curiosity, if you've been staying in Bangkok for a while, what are your districts of choice.

[QUOTE=Nyezhov;2186516]When I go for my visa extension, because I'm coming in on a s e TV do I do that as soon as I get to town, or do I wait until the end of my visit.
As to the crackdown, Arecfolks carrying your actual passports in Bangkok itself, or just a photocopy okay. I also have a passport card. I'm not going to be in the red light district very often. I don't drink at all. So I don't get into any trouble.[/QUOTE]What crackdown are you speaking of? You just have to be able to produce your passport in a reasonable amount of time. A passport card is not doing you any good, because they want to see the entry stamp to make sure you have not overstayed. Nobody has ever stopped me asking to see a passport. I think this mainly happens when they raid a club or something. And I have been in clubs when they were raided and they have never asked me for anything then either. I am only asked for ID in a traffic stop but I have a Thai license. You go to immigration for an extension on the last day that your visa is valid.

[QUOTE=MuaTur;2185442]

The bottom line: What happened to Thailand! Does the visitors getting less these days?[/QUOTE]Visitor numbers are quite reduced in the hotter and wetter months from April to October. Everyone wants the cooler weather from Nov to Feb, so that is why everything is full then.

[QUOTE=Franga;2186562]Visitor numbers are quite reduced in the hotter and wetter months from April to October. Everyone wants the cooler weather from Nov to Feb, so that is why everything is full then.[/QUOTE]That's likely correct. But I have visited Thailand numerous times regardless what the season that was. But always seen the upper Sukhumvit is full of farang. But this time (30th April to 8th May) it surprised me seeing very much empty. I strolled Soi 3 to Asok every day I stayed but all the same. Empty and empty.

[QUOTE=Nyezhov;2186516]I'd rather ask guys over here who are like-minded, rather than on one of those tourist TwerP boards. I got a hundred and fifty days to go before I leave for a six-month trip, just a few general questions for guys in the ground.

When I go for my visa extension, because I'm coming in on a s e TV do I do that as soon as I get to town, or do I wait until the end of my visit. Is immigration being okay to a guy with a brand new clean passport, no visit since 2015, self-supporting and clean cut with a hidden gutter crawl inside? Similarly, I assume the place to go for my next single entry would be Vientiane, or is it different Embassy the favorite. I'll leave for a couple of weeks at the end of my first 90 stay to go to Laos and Cambodia or even Burma if that's a good place to go.

As to the crackdown, Arecfolks carrying your actual passports in Bangkok itself, or just a photocopy okay. I also have a passport card. I'm not going to be in the red light district very often. I don't drink at all. So I don't get into any trouble.

Just out of curiosity, if you've been staying in Bangkok for a while, what are your districts of choice.[/QUOTE]Leave the passport card at home. It is of no use in Asia. I would always keep my passport in a safe place like a hotel safe. You should carry a copy of your passport and the stamped entry page at all times. I would also suggest emailing a copy of your passport photo page to yourself. In the event you lose your passport, it would be helpful to have a copy in your email.

[QUOTE=Franga;2186562]Everyone wants the cooler weather from Nov to Feb, so that is why everything is full then.[/QUOTE]Everyone wants to get out the cooler European weather from Nov to Feb, so that is why everything is full then (in Thailand).

Anyone knows if an expat allows to invest in stocks in his local Thai bank account and what is the tax for the profits.

My country charge 25 percent from the profits.

[QUOTE=Allover;2186589]it would be helpful to have a copy in your email.[/QUOTE]Excellent idea. Generally what I do I email the list of phone numbers (in a spreadsheet listed meeting date and place) of to be meeting girls to myself. Just open up the email to call next girl when I needed. Some time I m forced to take selfie pic with girls and I send those pic by email to her and to me too. Than I delete those pic from my phone right after I leave her.